Book Review: Cardcaptor Sakura Vol. 6

Review:  #127

Title:  Cardcaptor Sakura Vol. 6

Series:  Cardcaptor Sakura – 6^th and final volume in the first arc

Author:  Clamp

Read Before:  no

My Comments: Wow, just wow, an intense and excellent ending to the first story arc. It started off with the capturing the Firey Card which was exciting, but it kinda lacked the ‘spark’ that other earlier Cards had. Then immediately after the last card, Earth, attacks and gets captured. That was great, but something I picked up on was that in various frames during the fights, it gets really hard to distinguish what is happening, as the lines blur together. The final two chapters, where the two guardians show up, and the final trial of Sakura was brilliant, I loved the revealing of Yue, and the power of the new staff that Sakura gained. It was epic; I couldn't put the book down as I got near the ending. I loved the incantations used throughout the series, they meaning of the words used were fantastic. We also get an explanation of Li’s attraction to Yukito, so it all makes sense now. It ends on the promise of more adventures of Sakura (the second story arc), a truly excellent volume that I found myself really absorbed in.

Rating:  7/10

Negima! Magister Negi Magi Volume 14

VOL. 14

120 – Negi-kun Fan Club

It was okay, with Negi reflecting on the battle against his father.  Surprisingly, it wasn't that boring, and even the part where the class members go all woozy over him wasn't bad.  There were some humorous bits, and at least we get to see something different now.

121 – Negi Majorly Busted Magister Magi

This was another nice relaxed chapter, and Chisami confirms the truth of the magic business.  It was also good to find out the solid number of people that knows Negi is a mage, 17 students in his class… that’s more than half.  Pretty funny actually, and I liked how it starred Chachamaru in this chapter as well.

122 – Ordinary Yet Dreamy Love Story

I liked this chapter for some reason, it was really funny, and I liked what was happening.  Focusing on another classmate, it was pretty good, and of course, there’s something different about her, that we’ll probably find out the reason why later, so, a good chapter.

123 – Pre-Performance Madness!!

I liked the ending on this one, Negi’s action was charming (I guess that’s the word), and feels like the right one.  Couldn't glean that much from the rest of the chapter though, but it was fun to read (albeit a bit typical and boring).  Should be able to know what caused that scar on Ako’s back soon.

124 – Love Spells and Dreamy Results

Sweet chapter, Negi doesn't stuff up this time out on a date with Ako.  Maybe it’s due to all the practice he’s been getting, but it was really good seeing him do all the right things and not stuffing up.  I liked the best couple competition in which they chose a wedding costume that was excellent (although the random winner being the children couple was weird).

125 – You’re the Star!

I really really good chapter, that ended the short arc of Ako.  It was great, and probably my favourite mini story in the Mahora Festival.  This ending was awesome, and I loved how in the end, Ako still couldn't confess, there were so many great moments that were funny.  Although I didn't really quite like it when the group met their past selves, that part didn't work coz wouldn't they have remembered it?  Anyway, it was good, period.

126 – Fierce Magical Desires

I didn't like Haruna at first, and this chapter just reinforced that fact.  Her personality is annoying, and the way she probe into things is even worse than Asakura.  So I didn't really like it when Haruna ended up finding out about all the magic stuff.  The chapter was fine, mostly it was ruined for me by Haruna for reasons explained above.

127 – Danger!  Love Triangle Ahead

Whoa, this love triangle thing is turning into a mess, with so many things happening in a short period of time.  It doesn't get confusing, which is good, but Yue’s being difficult, and Haruna just being her annoying self.  It doesn't help that Negi is still as clueless as ever, I do wonder when he will finally find things out that he should know, coz his cluelessness can be annoying at times.

128 – The Front Line of Love and Friendship

The confusion and relationship problem between Yue and Nodoka resolves (thankfully).  And by the end of the chapter, you’ve guessed it, another kiss, and another provisional contract.  Only a couple more now, than goodness Haruna didn't make it too, she’s annoying enough as it is.

129 – My Idol is a Superstar

Now it shifts back to Asuna, with her date with Takamichi.  We learn a bit about Takamichi in fact, and that’s he’s quite famous within the magic world.  Apart from that, nothing much else happens, but at least the whole gang is here, with Negi joining up as well.

Overall

Pretty much my favourite would be the four chapters starring Ako, and it’s now my favourite story within the MahoraFest.  Other chapters are fine, but somewhat uninspiring, and the amount of girls falling for Negi has increased, and their relationships getting more complicated…

Book Review: The Tunnels of Ferdinand

Review:  #126

Title:  The Tunnels of Ferdinand

Series:  The Doomsday Rats – 1^st book

Author:  James Moloney

Read Before:  yes

My Comments: For a book that is so thin, it’s amazing that the plot is so well developed, granted, it is the first in a series of five books. By the time I was halfway I was fully absorbed into the story, I liked how the author revealed bit by bit what had and was happening. I quite like the idea of the story, and the ‘creations’ by the unseen antagonist were interesting in their own right. The final part was exciting and ended in a cliffhanger for the second book, a worthwhile read.

Rating:  7/10

Toy Review: Transformers Rage Over Cybertron Cybertronian Bumblebee

Review:  #59
Name:  Cybertronian Bumblebee
Brand:  Transformers
Allegiance:  Autobot
Line:  Transformers 2010/Generations
Year of Release:  2011
Size Class:  Deluxe
Variations:  repainted from the original Generations Bumblebee, which was also retooled into Generations Cliffjumper

VEHICLE MODE:

Again, like the others in the sets, Bumblebee transforms into a Cybertronian vehicle, it's a carrier this time (obviously?).  Unlike the other toys based from the game War for Cybertron, Bumblebee looks futuristic and very sleek, and you can immediately tell what it is trying to be.

Light blue/aqua transparent plastic swaps out for the red of the original, and this is a step back, as it looks really weird (even worse in robot mode).  As expected all four wheels roll, and he's a really compact little figure.

However, I cannot, for the love of all things Transformers, get him to properly peg together in vehicle.  I have tried for a whole hour, trying to do the same thing, pegging his legs properly.  Its annoying to say the least.  I have given up, and there are gaps here and there from not finishing it.

He's got these aqua Cybertronian/powered up detailing on his windshield, in a similar fashion to Optimus Prime.  There's also some silver wash out, like damage from paint scrapping, creating a worn look.

You might be able, or might not, tell from just looking at the underside, that Bumblebee is a shellformer.  I can say though, that he feels and look hollow in this mode.

So, in the end, if you managed to get him into vehicle with no dramas, then this is a good vehicle mode.  One of the best Cybertronian designs yet in toy form.

TRANSFORMATION:

This is where it's a big pain.  Going into robot mode isn't bad, since you just unpeg everything, collapse a few things, and whola.  It's going the other way that's the problem.  Most of it is fine, but the final touch, pegging the legs together, that's where it stumps me.  I can peg one leg in fine, but if I force the other one to peg in, it dislodges the first one.  Very very annoying, and I have checked videos online and I am doing everything correctly, so it might just be my figure.  Anyway, there are some good elements here, but mostly, it's not as innovation or fun as Optimus Prime or Megatron.  It's complex, yes, but fiddly, and that is not a good combination.  I like how the legs are formed, but the whole panel collapsing bits feels cheaty, but hard to avoid considering the design.  Verdict?  I'm going to leave this guy in one mode for a very long time.

ROBOT MODE:

Bumblebee's robot mode is somewhat different, he has a solid chest/torso due to the whole front of the car forming it.  Yet, his legs seems too long and skinny (especially the thighs), and bulky forearms.  It's like, the the stocky hands and feet are connected to the body by sticks.

You'll get used to it though and it's not terrible.  He does wear a huge chunk of the vehicle mode shell on his back, pretty much the roof and back of the car panels collapsed down.  The silver scratch/wear/scorch marks continue here, giving Bumblebee a worn out look (something I don't really prefer).

Due to the panel collapsing, his torso is fairly hollow, he seems to have the least bulk between Megatron and Optimus.  The yellow is dull, and the aqua doesn't really work here, the worse colour scheme out of the set. The grey is light, which also adds to the dull look.

If you look straight at his back, the backpack does look unwieldy, but in reality, it is very compact and situated very close to the body.  You'll have no problems with standing him up and balancing him.

The feet looks great and very well formed, they're pretty much the highlights of the figure.  Only thing that looks out of place is that half the side is dull yellow plastic, while the other side had silver metallic deco.

Bumblebee has both melee and ranged weapons.  His ranged weapon is a gun, that looks more like a hairdryer than anything.  While the blades flip out from each hand, it's transparent blue, I would have preferred the red of the original, but I guess it keeps with the aqua blue theme here.

Head sculpt is good, and looks like Classics Bumblebee to be honest.  The eyes are freaky, since they're painted in that baby blue.  It's also huge in size compared to the rest of the body.

Poseability is great, but he has way more joints than he needs, and that gets in the way.  This is true in his things, they're required for transformation, but the way they can hinge out is very annoying since it tends to do that when you want to move it at the hips instead.

It's a decent robot mode in the end, there are some flaws, and he's not as solid as the other War for Cybertron based figures, but it's a nice attempt and very accurate to the game.

OVERALL:

If you managed to get used to the transformation, then it's a good toy.  For me though, the transformation is too annoying and ruined it for me.  Both modes, when you get it right, are good.  Personally, I would not have gotten this mold if he was sold on his own, but there are worse (much worse) toys out there.

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Other reviews can be found here.

Book Review: Cardcaptor Sakura Vol. 3

Review:  #125

Title:  Cardcaptor Sakura Vol. 3

Series:  Cardcaptor Sakura – 3^rd volume

Author:  Clamp

Read Before:  no

My Comments: A great volume and one that is noticeably superior to the first two. The stories of the chapters are really good, and a lot more enjoyable and exciting. The capturing of the Mirror Card was intense, and I loved how the reader had to try and guess what the card was as even Sakura didn't even know. The story arc spread over the two chapters was excellently done, and the reflection and change of heart of the Mirror Card at the end was a great touch. The next chapter of capturing of the Shield Card was also good, and pretty funny. While it ends with a cliffhanger, and have to wait until the next volume to see what it is going to be about as it doesn't reveal too much here (or if it does, you don’t understand what is going on right now). I like how we get to see the great side of Sakura’s brother, Toya, just overall, a very good volume, the ideas are original, I just don’t like the love subplots, especially Li as Sakura’s rival…

Rating:  7/10

Negima! Magister Negi Magi Volume 13

VOL. 13

110 – Ku:Nel Sanders, the One to Watch

Again, the chapter has two parts in it that are important, the first is Negi and that Colonel Sanders, and it was revealed that his voice sounded like his dad’s.  This is weird, since he’s apparently the friend of him.  Then there’s the issue of what Chao is doing, and it was this second half where most of the good stuff happened, it was funny and it was interesting (apparently, another classmate is a mage, I swear the whole of Negi’s class is different).

111 – Kaede’s Ninpo Knockout

The fight between Kaede and Colonel Sanders was really good, particularly the end of the chapter where he uses some pretty spectacular techniques.  There’s also the part where Asuna sets up a team to save Takahata and that was pretty funny.  I really liked this chapter, as it had the right blend of action and suspense.

112 – The Full Force of Kaede’s Ninpo!!

Kaede’s loses, but that’s to be expected, as even she knew that there was no way she could win.  That Sanders guy is pretty powerful, and he even uses a Pactio card here, where the effects were interesting.  Although we know about Chao’s intent already, a lot of things have still not been explained, which is starting to get annoying as it’s been dragged for a long while already.

113 – That Which Waits in the Dark

The situation where Asuna’s group is approached by those weird engineering robots with guns in their mouths was funny (and loved how Kamo called Takane useless).  Negi also seems to think that Sanders is definitely his dad, with the power and voice.  A chapter that’s fairly decent.

114 – If You Are All Here, Then So Am I

Negi’s fight against Setsuna starts, and just like a lot of his other fights in the past, he stuffs up in the beginning.  He seriously needs to reflect on all of this, it’s like in every single fight, there is some trivial problem that he cannot overcome and ruins his performance.  It does get annoying after the first two, three, four five twenty times.

115 – Love is power

The fight continues and it’s much better here now that Negi’s gotten rid of his distractions… only to get bombarded with more.  So Sanders is his father, apparently, and everyone knows, literately, since information’s been leaked to the spectators which are a shame if Negi wanted to keep it quiet.  Surely Negi’s going to win this match?

116 – Advancing Finals, Advancing Conspiracy

And Negi wins, as expected.  It’s only when later in the chapter that the announcer reminded us that Negi was only 10 years old did everything feel a bit… superficial.  It’s hard to believe this guy who has trouble with a lot of things, even during the battle, to miraculously win against so many powerful opponents.  Sanders is quite a funny character, his personality is interesting, and I like his appearances.  We are finally reaching the end of this tournament though, and what Chao has planned for the end, felt like such a long process.

117 – Reunion with Father?!

Love this chapter, Sanders reveals his true identity, and the powers of his artifact are revealed.  I was like, wtf, when he revealed his form that looked similar to Takamitchi (or his master), but thankfully that wasn't the case.  Anyway, this chapter is an interesting turn of events, and probably the best chapter so far in the volume, by the time Sanders was talking to Negi, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, it was that good.

118 – Two Fists Full of Love

Negi fights with his dad (which is an illusion or memory conjured up for 10 mins), everything is still a bit hazy, hopefully there’s a proper explanation later on.  It was a good read but I still find some fight scenes as too messy with stuff all over the place making it hard to see what is happening.  Obviously, Negi will lose to his dad; they’re only completely different levels.

119 – Mixed-Up, Dragged-Out Finale

Probably the first time we've seen her so sad

This chapter is a nice ending to what has been going on for a while now.  It even had a few sentimental moments, which was really good.  Nagi seems like one of those guys that would annoy the hell out of you, and I like the interaction between him and Negi, and also to Eva as well.  It was a really good chapter, in a different kind of way.

Overall

Finally the tournament is finished here; it was starting to get a bit too dragged out, but it was a good arc.  This volume is decent and all the chapters are nice, the final three chapters were the best of the bunch.

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Scans taken by the group AquaStar Fansubs

Book Review: One Day at Horrorland

Review:  #124

Title:  One Day at Horrorland

Series:  Goosebumps – 15^th in the original series

Author:  R.L. Stine

Read Before:  yes

My Comments: For a Goosebumps book, it had a good captivating story; I like this style of story where the characters go from one place to another, like a ‘quest’. I think this is I one of the better books but it wasn't really scary as such, it was still a good read. I do like the plot twist endings, and although the cliffhangers at the end of every chapter do get boring (you know that it’ll be alright in the next chapter) they work, as you want to find out how the characters are going to get out of the mess. A simple story that is good to read if you don’t want much to think about.

Rating:  6/10